The Board is working on some great topics for the Summer Technical Meeting, which will be held June 5, 2014. The location is yet to be determined. Please save the date and plan to join us! Details will be posted soon.
"Virginia Tech Ph.D. student Jhalendra Rijal has made it his mission to help growers find ways to save their vines from the grape root borer." Check out this article to read more about his work: Jhalendra Rijal wins Friends of Southern IPM Graduate Student Award Congratulations, Jhalendra!
The Piedmont Epicurean and Agricultural Center is offering a Professional Series Winemaking Certificate course at Hillsborough Vineyards. The course, taught by winemaker, Kerem Baki, will be run in three-week increments over a six-month period, from March 22 to September 6, 2014. The two-hour classes will be held on Saturdays, starting at 9 a.m., at Hillsborough Vineyards, 36716 Charles Town Pike, Purcellville, VA 20132. More information is available at the group’s website at http://www.epicureancenter.com.
We all know that Virginia needs more grapes if the Commonwealth's wine industry is going to continue to grow. Here is a short video on the topic: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LSqSY6DAQdI
Virginia Vineyards Association Names Jeff White Grower of the Year CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – Virginia Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry Todd Haymore today presented the Virginia Vineyards Association’s Grape Grower of the Year award to Jeff White, owner and winemaker of Glen Manor Vineyards, Front Royal, VA. “I’m very pleased to honor one of the leaders of the Virginia wine industry,” said Secretary Haymore. “Virginia's burgeoning wine industry is making a significant and growing contribution to the Commonwealth’s economy, and that’s because of leaders like Jeff White who are producing world-class wines. I congratulate Jeff for his work to make Virginia one [...]
Dear Virginia Wine Industry & Supporters, We are pleased to invite you to the Virginia Wineries Association Governor's Cup®Gala supported by the Virginia Wine Board and the Virginia Vineyards Association. The Gala is the premier gathering of the Virginia wine industry. The highlight of the evening will be the announcement of the winner of the Governor’s Cup® competition. Those invited and expected to attend this fully catered event include the Governor, First Lady, the Secretary of Agriculture, members of the Virginia Wineries Association, Virginia Vineyards Association and Virginia Wine Board, highly-qualified members of the trade - restaurateurs and retailers, members of the [...]
With temperatures in the single digits, winter cold damage has to be a real concern for everyone in the business of growing grapes. Mark Chien of Penn State University and Michelle Moyer of Washington State University, have put together a nice overview of the subject, with a list of resources thrown in as a bonus.
A copy of the RFP soliciting grant proposals for the Virginia Wine Board is HERE. This document is also publically available on the Commonwealth of Virginia’s e-procurement portal – eVA by going to the website http://www.eva.virginia.gov/ and selecting "Solicitations, Quick Quotes & Awards (VBO)" under quick links. This will take you to the Virginia Business Opportunities (VBO) where you can enter 301-14-038 in the key word search to go to the RFP. Any changes to the solicitation will be posted in eVA. All interested parties are encouraged to submit a proposal. If you have any questions regarding this solicitation please contact Betty Lowther |Director [...]
Happy (almost) New Year! The latest and greatest issue of the VVA Grape Press is out. Click here to view the current issue or visit our Resources page to access this issue and past issues of the VVA Grape Press.
Fellow Growers, We have completed the first partial year of operation using the Virginia Sustainable Winegrowers self-Assessment Guide (VA SWAG) website since 4 April 2013. We will now capture all the work accomplished by you who have started or completed the guide for their self assessment in 2013. The captured statistics will be saved for subsequent use in comparing our progress over the coming years. The actual cut off for making any changes to your guide book is midnight on December 31, 2031. On January 1, 2014, your guide books will look the same as before the cut off, but as [...]
